Blasphemy Saturation...

[jsktrogdor]

Ok so a Pakistani government minister has put up a $100,000 bounty on the head of the man who made the recent film that's become the latest craze in the middle east. The newest scapegoat for the "religion of peace" to murder, riot and bomb over. I'm pretty sure the film depicts Muhammad having sex or something to that effect, at this point it really doesnt even matter anymore. Muhammad could be knitting a scarf and there would be 8 deaths.

It begs the hypothetical question though.... could the clearly overly-sensitive Muslim sense of blasphemy be overcome via saturation?


In 2012 the US film industry sold 10.7 billion dollars worth of tickets. A profit of about 1.37 billion dollars.

What if this massive entertainment machine... was hypothetically, purely as a though experiment, turned towards producing material that the religion of Islam considered blasphemy against it's prophet. What effect would that have on the political/religious atmosphere of the muslim word?


Now most anyone's automatic reaction would be 'the middle east would erupt into pure anarchy'. But would it really? Can they really stay so mad for so long about so many things at once? If I say "whats in your wallet?" even if you dont want to you think about credit cards. Such is the power of western media. In my mind, if every single film to come out in 2013, blasphemed Muhammad in some way the people of Islam would get the point. "Uhhh guys, maybe this isnt worth getting all bent out of shape over? They dont seem to think of it as a big deal at all. You think maybe its just us and we're over reacting? ....... Plus Jake Gyllenhaal looks gorgeous as Allah.".

[Princeps]

Yeah, because when the Nazis turned the German film industry into anti-semtic slander machine the Jews quickly learned to ... relax about their religion.

[Veliky Kaiser Theos]

The man ought to be fired. US government ought to start making ultimatums. I think that government officials placing bounties on foreign citizens is crossing a line, regardless of whether or not it's a "personal" bounty.

Could we get a link?

Edit----
Here's one for anyone curious: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...ms-makers.html

[DarthLazy]

The man ought to be fired. US government ought to start making ultimatums. I think that government officials placing bounties on foreign citizens is crossing a line, regardless of whether or not it's a "personal" bounty.

Could we get a link?

Edit----
Here's one for anyone curious: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...ms-makers.html

But so has the United States, remember Hafiz Saeed ?

[Veliky Kaiser Theos]

But so has the United States, remember Hafiz Saeed ?

Ok, well I did not know that. Both governments are complete bastards then. Still, it's substantially more justified for government officials to go after a highly dangerous criminal than a B grade film maker.

[Sir Winston Churchill]

Yeah, because when the Nazis turned the German film industry into anti-semtic slander machine the Jews quickly learned to ... relax about their religion.

I wasn't aware Jews were rioting in the streets.

[Babur]

I wasn't aware Jews were rioting in the streets.

This film pales in comparison to the Mumbai Attack, it was silly for people to even take notice of it.

[mishkin]

What if this massive entertainment machine... was hypothetically, purely as a though experiment, turned towards producing material that the religion of Islam considered blasphemy against it's prophet. What effect would that have on the political/religious atmosphere of the muslim word?

Great. More hate and violence. (I mean, no thanks)
Leave experiments for the scientists.

[Condottiere 40K]

Saturation would work, because in a target rich environment, you'd run out of Sharia Serial Assassins before cartoonists, or make an environment where it would be almost impossible for such killings to take place or be justified, and it would force a dialogue within the Islamic community as to the actual proper and civilized way to counter such criticism.

However, not everyone has the guts to allow themselves to be singled out, especially since such assassinations have succeeded with the notable exception of Salman Rushdie.

[Denny Crane!]

It would and should work and should be done, it is about time the people rioting and being easily led by people who want to manufacture riots got over themselves and stopped being so damn sensitive.

[Slaytaninc]

So, there's violence in the Middle East, so the best way to solve it is just random violence from the "West"?

Yeah, I could totally see that solving problems

[Enemy of the State]

So, there's violence in the Middle East, so the best way to solve it is just random violence from the "West"?

Yeah, I could totally see that solving problems

Making fun of dead warlords from the 7th century is not violence.

[jsktrogdor]

So, there's violence in the Middle East, so the best way to solve it is just random violence from the "West"?

Yeah, I could totally see that solving problems

What thread did you read? Cause I dont think we're on the same page.

[Condottiere 40K]

Culturally insensitive, perhaps.

[Diocle]

Pakistan is an important state and its situation is really pure madness! islamic religion is only one of the many religions on Earth. Who is pushing the Islamic massess in this collective madness? Who has the interest in the continuous growth of fanaticism in the Islamic masses? When they'll return to live their religion like all the 'normal' people on Earth? Until we have to endure this collective madness?

[kesa82]

In 2012 the US film industry sold 10.7 billion dollars worth of tickets. A profit of about 1.37 billion dollars.

Whether it is Roman patricians, French Aristocrats on the eve of 1789, German Industrialists and militarists who think they can manipulate Hitler ,
I always know a cause is essentially bankrupt and lost when this becomes their great selling point, their final boast.

Life goes on even if you don't have 5 cents in your pocket. And that day always comes. The money always runs out.

What if ......hypothetically, purely as a though experiment,

No, instead why don't you perhaps devote 5 minutes to pondering why all the treasure in the world, the sexiest cheerleaders, and the prettiest posters , always fail, and pass into oblivion.

What is permanent ? Not Hollywood, or Wall Street, or Washington or London .

[jsktrogdor]

Whether it is Roman patricians, French Aristocrats on the eve of 1789, German Industrialists and militarists who think they can manipulate Hitler ,
I always know a cause is essentially bankrupt and lost when this becomes their great selling point, their final boast.

Life goes on even if you don't have 5 cents in your pocket. And that day always comes. The money always runs out.



No, instead why don't you perhaps devote 5 minutes to pondering why all the treasure in the world, the sexiest cheerleaders, and the prettiest posters , always fail, and pass into oblivion.

What is permanent ? Not Hollywood, or Wall Street, or Washington or London .

Thats from a My Chemical Romance song isnt it? Or maybe the Fall Out Boy?

[Claudius Gothicus]

It could work, but the ''initial shock'' would be tremendous... a lot of interplanetary planning would have to be made.

The other problem would be... what if fundamentalist get a hold of governments during the ''shock process''? once the ''shock'' is gone and all this ''blasphemy sensitive'' people have learned to grow thicker skins we still have to deal with the Iran-like goverments

[Blaze86420]

I'm curious about this "overly-sensitive Muslim sense of Blasphemy", what does that mean in real terms?

I'll answer that, just nonsense. And here's what I think about your brilliant plan, the current situation is that the radical minority of the Muslim population worldwide perceives the Muhammad film, along with the caricature from previous years, as a coordinated attack against the religion and it's believers by the Western world. This is obviously not the case, since the film was not only a private initiative but also condemned by the US government. Hence, the protests only including a minority of the international Muslim community. What happens if your great suggestion is translated into action is an ACTUAL attack on the Islamic faith, this time funded by the governments of the Western world. What happens then? The more sensible Muslims start rioting too because the Western world has now lent credence to the extremists' argument. The complete break down of international relations follows, more people start dying, Western business in the Islamic world are either boycotted, closed down, or destroyed, any progress made in Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine, and many other countries is unmade, American soldiers are killed, and really nothing is accomplished because people are more riled up than ever. Now all of a sudden blasphemy is an issue to be taken into consideration with regards to diplomacy when it really shouldn't.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[jsktrogdor]

I'm curious about this "overly-sensitive Muslim sense of Blasphemy", what does that mean in real terms?

Just nonsense

You say that, then immediately afterwards write a lengthy paragraph describing how you think a coordinated effort to make fun of a dead guy from several hundred years ago would cause the muslim world to fall into chaos. Erupting into senseless mass rioting, mass murder, open warfare, cataclysmic destruction of property and a total breakdown of international relations.

If it's nonsense why does your opinion reinforce it?